My writing submission! I went through multiple edits after finally thinking of a semi-decent plotline ;-;
Nooo plot-bunny, come back! And for some reason, I never liked the Hiker NPCs in the games. I tried to make a book-wormish main character and hopefully that worked out okay. It was a little harder to paint his insecurities than I thought. Thanks to the few people that reviewed this before I worked up the nerve to present it. And of course, thanks for reading! ^.^
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Jed stared at the Gastly.
It stared back with a mocking expression.
The prolonged silence between Pokemon and trainer only served to intensify the serious atmosphere around them. Jed absentmindedly brushed back his unruly hair with one hand, keeping his gaze on his new partner. His other hand kept a firm grip on his Pokemon Handbook and ignored how the aging pages crinkled in protest. It was enclosed in a thin leather case; the slightly opened pages revealed the scribbled notes and doodles of a daydreaming schoolboy. On the back of the cover was a short line written in scrawling cursive.
Just until you learn how to stand up by yourself. - Father
The Gastly bobbed in the air in front of him, sneering and occasionally blending into the nearby shade before popping out without warning. Its disdain for gravity was shown in the lazy movements that arced through the air. The purple haze surrounding its dark center made any other Pokemon instantly wary. Needless to say, friends and play-mates were a scarce luxury commodity. The Gastly seemed unperturbed by the look that its young trainer was sending its way and the quiet grassy area around them was deceivingly tranquil. But Jed knew better. They were in deep shit.
“Look Sol,” he started, clearing his throat. “Time to go home. It’s getting late.” And true to his word, the sky was beginning to adopt an orange-tinge and the trees casted lean shadows that seemed to be growing and twisting all around them.
Sol looked at him blankly.
“You know how Route 2 is like when it’s dark.” Jed checked quickly around them, wondering if anyone was near. “All these weird people like to hang out here.”
The Gas Pokemon was already refocusing its attention on the wispy outlines of a large Taillow flock passing overhead . Sighing, Jed stood up and brushed off the seat of his pants. He shielded his eyes from the harsh glare of the sunset to look down the narrow path that led back home. “Let’s just try not to make eye-contact with anyone, okay?” He closed his eyes as echoes of jeers and taunts flew across his mind. Jed curled his fingers around the handbook and tightened his grip. “I’m not ready to battle.”
After minutes of pushing his way through tall-grass while Sol floated slightly above his head, Jed could make out the faint twinkling lights of the town. “We’re almost there,” he huffed. “If I just walk a little faster-“
Already balanced precariously on top of a rock, his foot slid on the dusty ground and he stumbled forward, tumbling into the undergrowth of the hill. Jed finally landed heavily on some bushes, upsetting a group of Rattatas that scurried away, clicking their teeth reproachfully. He pulled himself into an upright position with some effort and winced at the small cuts on his legs. Jed felt the temperature drop a few degrees and glanced behind him. He was greeted by the sight of Sol cackling and spinning like a top below the treetops. Resisting the urge to throw a rock at the Gastly (it would just pass right through it anyways), Jed ventured forward without looking ahead. He soon found himself smashing head-first into a rotund surface. After picking himself off the ground for a second-time, he looked up to meet beady black eyes dwarfed by bushy eyebrows. The chubby belly seemed to mimic a certain Christmas icon. Jed swore underneath his breath.
“Hey!” The hiker’s voice boomed. “I saw you look at me, brat!”
“N-no,” Jed stammered. He vaguely wondered whether that large branch was close enough to reach. Maybe not, he thought as he eyed the hiker’s balding head. Knocking him out would be like trying to break a sack of wet cement. Jed pulled his handbook closer to him as if to ward off the trainer.
“I’m only 9,” he tried to make his voice sound as small as possible. “I haven’t learned how to battle yet. And it’s, uh, past my bedtime.”
“Nonsense!” The man scoffed. With a sweep of his hand, a Sandslash leaped into the clearing in a flash of light as its empty pokeball rolled to a stop next to it. The Sand Pokemon stood up on its hind-legs and ruffled the spiked plates on its back with a shake.“It’s only 7 o’clock!”
Sol, interested by this turn of events, popped out behind Jed’s head to get a closer look. The Gas Pokemon was rewarded by a strike of sharp claws, which passed through it but only narrowly missed Jed. However, his handbook was less fortunate and fluttered to the ground in shreds. With a horrified cry, he dropped to his knees and tried to piece it together again to no avail.
The hiker only smiled and wiped his bulbous nose with a triumphant grin. “That book ain’t gonna help you kid!”
Jed felt a cold sheen of sweat settle on his neck. He racked his brains for ideas, attacks, strategies, anything, but only found a sense of jumpy anticipation. Stopping his attempts to recall his studies, he straightened up and focused on the scene in front of him. Although the Sandslash’s swipes missed or passed through Sol everytime, he had a feeling that the Gastly would start to feel the effects if other attacks were to be used. Jed tried to steady his uneven breathing. Sol stared at him condescendingly but seemed to understand.
“Hypnosis,” he murmured. To his relief, Sol complied and sent a short pink wave spiraling towards the Sandslash. It easily dodged the attack and side-stepped to retaliate. The Sand Pokemon leapt into the air, kicked up a cloud of dust and pounced on the purple gas ball. Jed held his breath.
Hearing a shout from its master, the Sandslash raised gleaming claws, only to lower them again in confusion when its target disappeared. Sol appeared again above its head, flickering in and out of sight. With a roar of frustration, the Sandslash gave pursuit. It was beginning to look like some sort of strange dance, Jed thought with some amusement. To a bystander, it looked as if the Sand Pokemon was trying to stomp on its own shadow. He quickly became worried again as he observed the deep gash marks that marred a tree trunk as a result of a missed attack. The tree creaked ominously and the bark that surrounded the scarring gash continued to splinter and snap. Their opponent showed no sign of exhausting. Although Sol was fast, he would tire soon and…
Jed frowned and then shivered. What happens after you lose a battle?
“Lick.” Sol spun around in mid-flight to face the Sandslash and opened its mouth to reveal sharp canines and a long pink tongue. The Sand Pokemon immediately dug its hind-claws into the ground to try to backpedal, but it was already too late. Sandslash met the full brunt of the sticky attack and stayed oddly motionless afterwards, as if it had turned into a stone statue. It occasionally twitched but was unable to lift a claw. The hiker shook his head but kept the confident smile on his face.
“So they taught you status problems in school, eh kid? Hate to tell you, but your poke still isn’t strong enough to make a dent in Sand-“
“I know,” Jed gave a small smile. The Hiker’s expression of confusion quickly morphed into one of disgust as Sol appeared only a couple of inches from his face. Weren’t these things poisonous? The man tried to take a step back but was unable to look away from the terrible white eyes. Shivering from the sudden cold, he blinked as a soft pink light invaded his vision. His eyelids were getting heavier, heavier, heavier…
Jed let out a shaky breath and put his hand on his knees. Although he hadn’t moved much through the duration of the battle, he felt oddly tired. But there was something beneath the fatigue. Jed raised his fingers to his mouth to find that they were slightly upturned at the corners. Ah. That was it. He grinned broadly at Sol, who returned it with a classic leer.
“Let’s go before the Hypnosis wears off.” Half running, half skipping towards the town (the Sandslash could snap out of its paralysis any minute), Jed indulged in his newfound exhilaration. As he surveyed the evening sky, he blinked against the distant sight of blinding stadium lights, felt the promise of a crowd’s anxious excitement, and drew comfort from a certain faithful shadow. He paused thoughtfully for a moment and half-way turned around before smiling again and continuing home.
The tattered handbook continued to lay where it had fallen.
Jed stared at the Gastly.
It stared back with a mocking expression.
The prolonged silence between Pokemon and trainer only served to intensify the serious atmosphere around them. Jed absentmindedly brushed back his unruly hair with one hand, keeping his gaze on his new partner. His other hand kept a firm grip on his Pokemon Handbook and ignored how the aging pages crinkled in protest. It was enclosed in a thin leather case; the slightly opened pages revealed the scribbled notes and doodles of a daydreaming schoolboy. On the back of the cover was a short line written in scrawling cursive.
Just until you learn how to stand up by yourself. - Father
The Gastly bobbed in the air in front of him, sneering and occasionally blending into the nearby shade before popping out without warning. Its disdain for gravity was shown in the lazy movements that arced through the air. The purple haze surrounding its dark center made any other Pokemon instantly wary. Needless to say, friends and play-mates were a scarce luxury commodity. The Gastly seemed unperturbed by the look that its young trainer was sending its way and the quiet grassy area around them was deceivingly tranquil. But Jed knew better. They were in deep shit.
“Look Sol,” he started, clearing his throat. “Time to go home. It’s getting late.” And true to his word, the sky was beginning to adopt an orange-tinge and the trees casted lean shadows that seemed to be growing and twisting all around them.
Sol looked at him blankly.
“You know how Route 2 is like when it’s dark.” Jed checked quickly around them, wondering if anyone was near. “All these weird people like to hang out here.”
The Gas Pokemon was already refocusing its attention on the wispy outlines of a large Taillow flock passing overhead . Sighing, Jed stood up and brushed off the seat of his pants. He shielded his eyes from the harsh glare of the sunset to look down the narrow path that led back home. “Let’s just try not to make eye-contact with anyone, okay?” He closed his eyes as echoes of jeers and taunts flew across his mind. Jed curled his fingers around the handbook and tightened his grip. “I’m not ready to battle.”
After minutes of pushing his way through tall-grass while Sol floated slightly above his head, Jed could make out the faint twinkling lights of the town. “We’re almost there,” he huffed. “If I just walk a little faster-“
Already balanced precariously on top of a rock, his foot slid on the dusty ground and he stumbled forward, tumbling into the undergrowth of the hill. Jed finally landed heavily on some bushes, upsetting a group of Rattatas that scurried away, clicking their teeth reproachfully. He pulled himself into an upright position with some effort and winced at the small cuts on his legs. Jed felt the temperature drop a few degrees and glanced behind him. He was greeted by the sight of Sol cackling and spinning like a top below the treetops. Resisting the urge to throw a rock at the Gastly (it would just pass right through it anyways), Jed ventured forward without looking ahead. He soon found himself smashing head-first into a rotund surface. After picking himself off the ground for a second-time, he looked up to meet beady black eyes dwarfed by bushy eyebrows. The chubby belly seemed to mimic a certain Christmas icon. Jed swore underneath his breath.
“Hey!” The hiker’s voice boomed. “I saw you look at me, brat!”
“N-no,” Jed stammered. He vaguely wondered whether that large branch was close enough to reach. Maybe not, he thought as he eyed the hiker’s balding head. Knocking him out would be like trying to break a sack of wet cement. Jed pulled his handbook closer to him as if to ward off the trainer.
“I’m only 9,” he tried to make his voice sound as small as possible. “I haven’t learned how to battle yet. And it’s, uh, past my bedtime.”
“Nonsense!” The man scoffed. With a sweep of his hand, a Sandslash leaped into the clearing in a flash of light as its empty pokeball rolled to a stop next to it. The Sand Pokemon stood up on its hind-legs and ruffled the spiked plates on its back with a shake.“It’s only 7 o’clock!”
Sol, interested by this turn of events, popped out behind Jed’s head to get a closer look. The Gas Pokemon was rewarded by a strike of sharp claws, which passed through it but only narrowly missed Jed. However, his handbook was less fortunate and fluttered to the ground in shreds. With a horrified cry, he dropped to his knees and tried to piece it together again to no avail.
The hiker only smiled and wiped his bulbous nose with a triumphant grin. “That book ain’t gonna help you kid!”
Jed felt a cold sheen of sweat settle on his neck. He racked his brains for ideas, attacks, strategies, anything, but only found a sense of jumpy anticipation. Stopping his attempts to recall his studies, he straightened up and focused on the scene in front of him. Although the Sandslash’s swipes missed or passed through Sol everytime, he had a feeling that the Gastly would start to feel the effects if other attacks were to be used. Jed tried to steady his uneven breathing. Sol stared at him condescendingly but seemed to understand.
“Hypnosis,” he murmured. To his relief, Sol complied and sent a short pink wave spiraling towards the Sandslash. It easily dodged the attack and side-stepped to retaliate. The Sand Pokemon leapt into the air, kicked up a cloud of dust and pounced on the purple gas ball. Jed held his breath.
Hearing a shout from its master, the Sandslash raised gleaming claws, only to lower them again in confusion when its target disappeared. Sol appeared again above its head, flickering in and out of sight. With a roar of frustration, the Sandslash gave pursuit. It was beginning to look like some sort of strange dance, Jed thought with some amusement. To a bystander, it looked as if the Sand Pokemon was trying to stomp on its own shadow. He quickly became worried again as he observed the deep gash marks that marred a tree trunk as a result of a missed attack. The tree creaked ominously and the bark that surrounded the scarring gash continued to splinter and snap. Their opponent showed no sign of exhausting. Although Sol was fast, he would tire soon and…
Jed frowned and then shivered. What happens after you lose a battle?
“Lick.” Sol spun around in mid-flight to face the Sandslash and opened its mouth to reveal sharp canines and a long pink tongue. The Sand Pokemon immediately dug its hind-claws into the ground to try to backpedal, but it was already too late. Sandslash met the full brunt of the sticky attack and stayed oddly motionless afterwards, as if it had turned into a stone statue. It occasionally twitched but was unable to lift a claw. The hiker shook his head but kept the confident smile on his face.
“So they taught you status problems in school, eh kid? Hate to tell you, but your poke still isn’t strong enough to make a dent in Sand-“
“I know,” Jed gave a small smile. The Hiker’s expression of confusion quickly morphed into one of disgust as Sol appeared only a couple of inches from his face. Weren’t these things poisonous? The man tried to take a step back but was unable to look away from the terrible white eyes. Shivering from the sudden cold, he blinked as a soft pink light invaded his vision. His eyelids were getting heavier, heavier, heavier…
Jed let out a shaky breath and put his hand on his knees. Although he hadn’t moved much through the duration of the battle, he felt oddly tired. But there was something beneath the fatigue. Jed raised his fingers to his mouth to find that they were slightly upturned at the corners. Ah. That was it. He grinned broadly at Sol, who returned it with a classic leer.
“Let’s go before the Hypnosis wears off.” Half running, half skipping towards the town (the Sandslash could snap out of its paralysis any minute), Jed indulged in his newfound exhilaration. As he surveyed the evening sky, he blinked against the distant sight of blinding stadium lights, felt the promise of a crowd’s anxious excitement, and drew comfort from a certain faithful shadow. He paused thoughtfully for a moment and half-way turned around before smiling again and continuing home.
The tattered handbook continued to lay where it had fallen.
Nooo plot-bunny, come back! And for some reason, I never liked the Hiker NPCs in the games. I tried to make a book-wormish main character and hopefully that worked out okay. It was a little harder to paint his insecurities than I thought. Thanks to the few people that reviewed this before I worked up the nerve to present it. And of course, thanks for reading! ^.^
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